NORSE HEROES 


Adapted by Annie Klingensmith 
Copyright 1922, A. Flanagan Company 


BALDER. 

The great god Odin was the father of all the 
gods. He and his children dwelt in the city of 
Asgard at the end of the rainbow. 

Odin’s palace was as high as the sky and 
roofed with pure silver. In it was a throne of 
gold. When Odin sat upon the throne he could 
see all over the world. 

Each day he sat upon the throne to see if 
everything was as it should be on the earth. 
He loved the people and the animals, and all the 
beautiful things of earth because they were the 
work of his hands. 

Odin had two ravens which were as swift as 
thought. Every day he sent the ravens to fly 
over the oceans and over the land to see if any 
harm was being done. When they came back 
they perched upon his shoulders and whispered 
in his ear all that they had seen. 

Besides this there was a watchman who never 
slept. He was called Heimdal, the white god, 






He stayed always at the foot of the rainbow 
which was the bridge of the gods, to see that the 
frost giants did not come into Asgard, and 
to listen to the sounds of earth. So sharp were 
his ears that he could hear the grass and the 
wool on the sheep’s backs growing. 

One day when Odin mounted his throne he 
saw that the earth was no longer green and 
beautiful. The air was full of snowflakes and 
the ground was as hard as iron. All was dark 
and cold. 

The ravens, which had been sent out to see if 
all was well, came hurrying back to tell Odin 
that Hoder, the blind old god of darkness, had 
taken possession of the earth. 

Heimdal, the watchman, called that he could 
no longer hear the music of the waterfalls and 
birds, and all the pleasant sounds of earth. 
Everything was mute with fear of the terrible 
god of darkness. 

Odin called the gods together, and they looked 
with pity on the great earth, which had been so 
pleasant a place. 

Thor, the strong god, offered to go with his 
hammer and fight with the god of darkness, but 
Odin knew that Hoder could hide himself away 
from Thor. 

Then Balder, the Beautiful, the god of light, 
2 






whom all the gods loved, offered to go. So 
Odin gave him his winged horse, Sleipner, and 
he rode away across the rainbow bridge. 

As soon as the light of Balderas shining eyes 
fell upon the poor, cold earth, it brightened and 
stirred. But the old, blind god Hoder brought 
all his forces of darkness to resist the god of 
light, and the earth lay as if dead. 

Balder struck no blows as Thor, the strong god, 
wished to do. He did not even try to resist the 
god of darkness. He only smiled upon the 
earth and called to it to awake. 

At last the blind god turned and fled before 
the light of Balder’s face. Then the streams 
leaped up and sang, and the birds came back 
and the flowers bloomed. 

Everywhere the grass and the waving grain 
sprang up beneath Balder’s footsteps, and the 
trees put out their gayest blossoms to greet him. 

The squirrels and rabbits came out of the 
places where they had hidden themselves and 
danced and frisked with joy. Never had the 
earth been so beautiful. 

But Hoder, the blind god, in his realm of dark¬ 
ness, was only waiting for an opportunity to take 
possession of the earth again. So Odin permitted 
Balder’s mother to cross the rainbow bridge to 
help her son. 


3 


The goddess went through all the earth, begging 
each plant and stone and tree not to harm her 
son, who had brought them nothing but blessings. 
And every tree and shrub and tiny plant, and every 
rock and pebble, and every stream and little brook 
promised gladly. Only the mistletoe, which grows 
high up in the oak-tree and not upon the ground 
as other plants do, was forgotten. 

Loke, who was a meddlesome god, always doing 
something wrong, found out that the mistletoe 
had not given the promise, and told Hoder. 

Hoder thought that because it was so little 
and weak it could not really kill the god. So he 
shot an arrow tipped with a tiny twig of mistle¬ 
toe at Balder. 

The arrow pierced through and through the 
beautiful god, and he fell dead. Then the 
earth put off her green robe and grew silent and 
dark for a time. 

But because Balder, the Beautiful, had once 
lived on earth, Hoder could only make it cold 
half the year and dark half the day. 

And even now, if you listen, in the winter you 
can hear the wind moan through the trees which 
fling their great arms in grief. And on summer 
mornings very early, you will find the stones and 
the grass wet with weeping in the darkness. 

But when the sun shines the tears are turned 


4 


to diamonds and the earth is glad, remembering 
Balder the Good. 

I heard a voice, that cried, 

“ Balder the Beautiful 
Is dead, is dead! ” 

And through the misty aii* 

Passed like the mournful cry 
Of sunward-sailing cranes. 

Balder the Beautiful, 

God of the summer sun, . > 

Fairest of all the Gods! 

Light from his forehead beamed, 

Eunes were upon his tongue, 

As on the warrior’s sword. 

All things in earth and air 
Bound were by magic spell 
Never to do him harm; 

Even the plants and stones, 

All save the mistletoe, 

The sacred mistletoe! 

Hoder, the blind old God, 

Whose feet are shod with silence, 

Pierced through that gentle breast 
With his sharp spear by fraud 
Made of the mistletoe, 

The accursed mistletoe! 

—Longfellow. 

Used by permission of Houghton, Miffiin & Co, 


5 


THE FENRIS-WOLF. 


Lore was a mischievous fellow. He was al¬ 
ways getting the other gods into trouble. Some¬ 
times they shut him up. But they always let 
him out, because he was so cunning that he 
could help them to do things they could not do 
for themselves. 

Once he crossed the rainbow bridge to Jotun- 
heim, the land of the giants, and brought home 
a giantess for his wife. 

Very strange children Loke had. One of 
them was the Fenris-wolf. He was named Fenrer. 
All the gods knew he was a wolf as soon as they 
saw him. 

But he went about among the children, play¬ 
ing with them like a good-natured dog, and the 
gods thought there was no harm in him. 

Fenrer grew larger and larger, and the 
gods began to look at him with distrust. They 
feared he might some day grow too strong for 
them. 

But Fenrer always looked good-natured, and 
harmed no one. He did not even show that he 


6 


had great strength. So the gods could not have 
the heart to kill him. 

But they put it off too long. One day they 
found Fenrer had grown so strong that it was 
almost too late to do anything with him. 

All the gods worked day and night until they 
had forged a chain they thought strong enough 
to bind the wolf. 

Knowing they could not bind Fenrer against 
his will, all the gods came together for games. 
Thor crushed mountains with his hammer. The 
other gods showed their strength by lifting, and 
leaping, and wrestling. 

Then they brought out the chain and told 
Fenrer to let them bind him with it, so that he 
might show his strength by breaking it. 

Fenrer knew that he could break the chain, so 
he allowed himself to be bound. He only drew 
in a deep breath and the chain dropped into pieces. 

Then the gods forged a chain twice as strong 
as the first. Fenrer saw that this chain would be 
hard to break. But breaking the first chain had 
made him stronger. So he allowed this one to 
be put on him. 

This, too, he broke, and the gods were in de¬ 
spair. They knew they could never make a 
stronger chain, and they feared the wolf more 
than ever. 


7 


Odin took his horse, Sleipner, and went on a 
seven days’ journey to the home of the' dwarfs. 
They lived deep down in the earth, and had 
charge of the gold and diamonds and all other 
precious things. They were the most cunning of 
blacksmiths. 

When Odin told the little people what he 
wanted, they all cried, Never fear. Father Odin ! 
We can make a chain that will bind the wolf.” 

When the chain was made it was as light and 
delicate as a spide 
web, but Odin knew 
could never be broken. 

As soon as Fenrer saw 
the chain, he was afraid 
of it. He knew if it 
were only a cobweb they would 
never care to put it on him. So he 
would not allow himself to be bound ^ 
unless a god’s hand was put into his 
mouth. At this the gods only looked at 
one another. After a little time, Tyr, the 
bravest of all the gods, put his hand into the 
wolf’s mouth. 

The moment the chain touched Fenrer he knew 
he could never break it, and he bit off the god’s 
hand. 

But the Fenris-wolf was bound forever. 



LORE. 


One day Loke was wandering about idly as he 
often did. He came near Thor’s house, which 
had five hundred and forty rooms. 

By the window sat Sif, Thor’s wife, asleep. 
Loke thought it would be a good joke to cut off 
her beautiful hair and make Thor angry. So he 
crept in softly and cut off her hair close to her 
head without wakening her. 

When Thor came home and found out what 
had been done, he knew at once who had done 
it. 

Rushing out, he overtook Loke, and threat¬ 
ened to crush him to atoms. To save his life 
Loke swore to get the elves to make hair of gold 
for Sif, that would grow like real hair. 

Loke knew he had better do as he had prom¬ 
ised, so he went deep down into the earth to Alf- 
heim. When he came near he looked through a 
crevice in the ground, and there were the elves 
at work. He could see them by the light of the 
forge fires. 

Some were running about with aprons on and 
9 


with sooty faces. Some were hammering iron, 
and others were smelting gold. Some were cut' 
ting out rock crystals and staining them red for 
garnets and rubies. The elf women brought 
violets and the greenest grass to be found on the 
earth above. With these they stained crystals 
blue and green for sapphires and emeralds. 

Some of the elf women brought children’s tears 
from the upper earth, and the gentlest elves 
changed them into pearls. 

As fast as they were finished the jewels were 
carried away by the little elf boys and hidden in 
the ground, where they are found to this day. 
If you wish to see wliat cunning workmen the 
elves were, look at the shining faces and straight 
edges of quartz crystals, or at the beautiful col¬ 
oring of emeralds and rubies. 



The little elf girls crept 
^ through the earth under the 
ocean and gave the pearls 


to the oysters to keep. 
<Even now the oysters shut 


their shells tight 
and will not give 
up the pearls. 


^ Loke watched the 

little workmen a long time. Then he went in 
and told his errand. Nothing delighted the elves 
10 











30 much as to have work to do. They promised 
Loke the golden hair, and at once began to make it. 

A little elf ran in with a handful of gold and 
an old grandmother spun it into hair. As she 
spun, she sang a magic song to give life to the 
gold. At the same time the elf blacksmiths and 
goldsmiths set about making a present for Loke. 

The blacksmiths made a spear that would 
never miss its mark. The goldsmiths made a 



ship that would sail without wind. Besides, it 
could be folded up and put into the owner’s 
pocket. 

Loke appeared before the gods with these won¬ 
derful things. To Odin he gave the spear, and 
to Frey the ship. Thor took the golden hair 
and put it upon Sif’s head. Immediately it be¬ 
gan to grow. At this the gods pardoned Loke. 

When Loke went out he began to boast that 
11 


the sons of Ivald, who had made the gifts, were 
the best workmen in the world. 

Brok, an elf of another family, heard him, and 
exclaimed angrily, Sindre, my brother, is the 
best blacksmith in the whole world ! ’’ 

Loke dared Brok to show him three gifts of 
Sindre’s making equal to the spear, the ship, and 
the hair. 

Brok hastened to Sindre and told him. The 
two brothers began the work at once. Sindre 
put a pig-skin into the furnace and told Brok to 
blow the fire with the bellows while he went out. 
Brok worked with a will. Loke had followed 
him, and now changed himself into a fly and 
stung Brok’s ear. But Brok worked steadily, 
never stopping to brush it off. 

Sindre came back and took out the pig-skin, 
and it had become a golden pig. So bright was 
it, that it made the cave as light as day. 

Then Sindre put a little piece of gold into the 
furnace and went out again. Again, as Brok 
worked at the bellows, the fly came, and stung 
him on the nose. But the elf did not stop for 
an instant. 

When Sindre took out the gold it had become 
a magic golden ring. From it every ninth night 
dropped eight golden rings. 

This time Sindre brought a piece of. iron and 
12 


put it into the furnace. Brok began his work. 
But Loke changed himself into a hornet and 
stung the elf on'^the forehead until the blood ran 
into his eyes. 

Brok bore it a long time. Then he paused a 
moment to drive away the hornet. Just then his 
brother came in and said it was of no use to go 
on after he had once stopped. 

Sindre took out the iron and it had become 
the mighty hammer Mjolner. But the handle 
was a little too short. This was because the elf 
had stopped when the hornet stung him. 

Brok took the golden pig, the ring, and the 
hammer to Asgard and presented them to the 
gods. Thor had just lost his hammer in a great 
fight with the Midgard Serpent, so Mjolner was 
given to him 

This hammer could never be lost, because it 
would always return to the owner. 

The pig. Golden Bristle, was given to the 
sun-god, Frey, because he had to take long jour¬ 
neys in dark places. 

Odin kept the golden ring himself. 

The gods voted Sindre a better blacksmith 
than the sons of Ivald. Brok demanded Loke’s 
head, which had been wagered. The cunning 
Loke said he might have the head, but he must 
not touch the neck. So the elf did not get the head. 

13 


THOR, 


Thor was the strong god. So strong was he 
that he could crush mountains with one blow of 
his hammer. 

His eyes shone like fire. When he drove in 
his chariot, the sound could be heard all over the 
earth. When he struck with his terrible hammet 
fire streamed through the sky. 

On one hand he wore an iron glove to grasp 
the hammer. Around his waist was a belt 


14 


Every time he tightened the belt his strength was 
redoubled. 

If he had crossed the rainbow bridge it would 
have fallen down. So every day he waded 
through four rivers to go to the council of the 
gods. 

Thor was usually as good-natured as he was 
strong. But sometimes he had sudden attacks of 
anger. Then he drove furiously in his char¬ 
iot, striking in every direction with his hammer. 
Sometimes he did damage which, with all his 
strength, he could never repair. 

Very often Thor did kind things. Once the 
dwarf, Orvandal, did not go into his home in 
the ground when the frost giants were in the land. 
They caught him and took him to Jotunheim. 

Thor waded across the ice-cold river, Elivagar, 
to the land of the giants, and brought Orvandal 
back in a basket. When they were nearly across, 
Orvandal put one toe outside and it was bitten 
off by the frost giants. 

Thor liked nothing better than to go on long 
journeys, seeking adventures. 

Once he set out in his chariot drawn by goats. 
Loke, the cunning, went with him. 

Night came. Thor made himself no larger 
than a man, and asked to stay all night in a poor 
man’s hut by the seashore. 

15 


The man welcomed them. Thor killed his 
goats, and the poor man’s wife cooked them. 

When nothing was left but the bones, Thor 
told the children to put them all into the skins 
on the floor. But one of the boys broke a bone 
to get the marrow. 

At dawn the next day, Thor touched the bones 
with his hammer, and the goats sprang up alive. 
But one of them was lame. When the family 
saw the bones changed into living goats, they 
were very much frightened. 

Thor was angry because the goat was lame 
and grasped his hammer so tightly that his 
knuckles grew white. At first he meant to kill 
the whole family, but after he thought, he only 
took away two of the children for servants. 

They crossed the ocean that day and found a 
forest on the other side. 

When it grew dark they went into a cave to 
sleep. In the cave there were five small rooms 
and one large one. All night they heard a 
great rumbling noise. 

Early in the morning when they went out, 
they found an immense giant sleeping on the 
ground. The noise they had heard was the 
giant’s breathing, and the cave was his glove. 

When Thor saw him, he tightened his belt of 
strength and grasped his hammer, But just 
16 


then the giant awoke and stood up. His great 
height so amazed Thor that he forgot to strike 
and only asked the giant’s name. 

The giant replied that he was Skrymer. Then 
he asked to go along with Thor. Thor said he 
might, and they all sat upon the ground to eat 
breakfast. 

After breakfast, the giant put Thor’s provision 
sack into his own and carried both. All that 
day he strode in front and Thor followed. 

At night they stopped. The giant drank a 
small brook dry; and at once lay down on the 
ground and fell asleep. 

Thor found that he could not untie the sack. 
At this he was very angry. 

He tightened his belt and went out where the 
giant lay. He swung his hammer above his 
head and struck the giant’s forehead with all 
his strength. 

The giant awoke and rubbed his eyes. Then 
he said sleepily, I think a leaf must have fallen 
upon me.” With that he fell asleep again. 

Thor and the others lay down without any food, 
and the giant snored so that they could not sleep. 

Again Thor arose. He tightened his belt 
twice and struck the giant a harder blow than the 
first. The giant only stirred and muttered, 
‘^This must be an oak-tree, for an acorn has 
fallen upon my forehead.” 

17 


Thor hurried away and waited until the giant 
once more slept soundly. Then he went softly, 
and struck him so hard that the hammer sank 
into his head. 

This time the giant sat up and looked around 
him. Seeing Thor, he said, I think there are 
squirrels in this tree. See, a nutshell has fallen 
and scratched my forehead.’’ 

But make ready to go now. We are near 
the palace of Utgard.” 

You see how large I am. In Utgard’s palace 
I am thought small. If you go there do not 
boast of your strength.” 

With that, he directed Thor to the palace, and 
went away nortliAvard. 

At noon they saw a palace so high that they 
had to bend back their heads to see the top 
of it. 

The gate was locked. So they crept in 
through the bars, and went from room to room 
until they came to the hall where sat Utgard 
with his men around him. 

For some time he pretended not to see Thor. 
Then with a loud laugh he said, Ho! ho ! who 
is this little creature ? ” Without waiting for a 
reply, he cried, Why, I believe it is Thor of 
whom we have heard.” 

Then speaking to Thor for the first time, he 
18 


said. Well, little man, what can you do? No 
one is allowed here unless he can do something.” 

Loke, who was quicker than Thor, said, I 
can eat faster than anyone here.” Then Utgard 
said, Truly that is something. We will see if 
you have spoken the truth.” 

The giants brought in a trough filled with 
meat. Utgard called Loge, one of his men, to 
contend with Loke. 

Loke and Loge met at the middle of the 
trough. But Loke had only eaten the meat, 
while Loge had eaten, meat, bones, and trough. 
So Loke was beaten. 

Then Utgard asked what Thjalfe, the boy Thor 
had taken from the seashore, could do. Thjalfe 
replied that he could outrun any man there. 

Utgard called a little fellow whose name was 
Huge. Huge so far outran Thjalfe that he 
turned back and met him half-way. 

Utgard said: You are the best runner that 
ever came here, but you must run more swiftly 
to outrun Huge.” 

Then Thor was asked in what he wished to 
contend. He answered : In drinking.” 

Utgard sent the cup-bearer to bring his great 
drinking-horn. 

When Thor took the horn in his hand, Utgard 
said: Most of the men here empty it at one 

19 


draught. Some empty it at two draughts. But 
no one ever takes three.” 

Thor put the horn to his lips and drank deep 
and long. When he was out of breath, he 
lowered the horn. To his surprise very little of 
the water was gone. 

Utgard said : I should have thought Thor 
could drink more at a draught.” 

Thor did not reply, but drank again as long as 
he had any breath. This time enough was gone 
so that the horn could be carried easily without 
spilling any of the water. 

Utgard said: Have you not left too much 
for the third draught?” 

Thor became angry. He put the horn to his 
lips and drank until his head swam, and his ears 
rang, and fire floated before his eyes. 

But the horn yas not nearly empty, and he 
would not try again. 

Then Utgard said : “ Will you try something 
else?” Thor replied that he would. Utgard 
said: We have a little game here that the 

younger children play. The young men think 
nothing of lifting my cat. I would not propose 
it to you if you had not failed in drinking.” 

The cat ran in, and Thor did his best. But 
he could only lift one paw from the ground. 

Then he called for some one to wrestle with 


20 


him, but Utgard said the. men would think it 
beneath them to wrestle with Thor. Then he 
called his old nurse, Elle, to wrestle with him. 

The tighter Thor gripped the old woman, the 
firmer she stood. Soon he was thrown on one 
knee, and Utgard sent the old woman away. 

The next morning at dawn, Thor and Loke 
and the two children prepared to go away. 

Utgard gave them breakfast and went a little 
way with them. 

When he was ready to go back, he asked Thor 
how he liked his visit. Thor replied that he had 
done himself dishonor. 

At this Utgard said: will tell you the 

truth now that we are out of my palace. You 
shall never come into it again. If I had known 
your strength you should not have come this time. 

In the forest it was I you met. If I had not 
held a mountain between your hammer and my 
head, you would have killed me. There is the 
mountain. The three caves you see were made 
by the three blows of your hammer. 

One end of the drinking-horn stood in the 
sea. When you come to the shore you will see 
how much water is gone. 

What you took for a cat was the great Mid- 
gard Serpent which encircles the earth and holds 
its tail in its mouth. The nurse was old age. 
No one can resist her.” 


21 


Hearing this, Thor raised his hammer to 
strike. But Utgard and the palace vanished and 
left only a grassy plain. 


THOR. 

Here amid icebergs 
Rule I the nations; 

This is my hammer, 

Miolner the mighty; 

Giants and sorcerers 
Cannot withstand it! 

These are the gauntlets 
Wherewith I wield it, 

And hurl it afar oif ; 

This is my girdle; 

Whenever I brace it, 

Strength is redoubled! 

The light thou beholdest 
Stream through the heavens 
In flashes of crimson, 

Is but my red beard 
Blown by the night-wind. 

Affrighting the nations! 

Jove is my brother; 

Mine eyes are the lightning; 

The wheels of my chariot 
Roll in the thunder, 

The blows of my hammer 
Ring in the earthquake! 

—Longfellow. 

Used by permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co. 

22 



THOR AND HYMER. 


Far down in the cool depths of the ocean 
dwelt ^ger, the sea-god, in his shining palace. 

The water lapped softly against its clear green 
walls. All the herds of Ran, the sea-god’s wife, 
played about it. 

Within sat ^Eger on his throne, and the winds 
and waves, which were his children, went abroad 
to do his will. 

On a day when the ocean lay calm and quiet 
in the sunlight, the gods feasted in ^Eger’s 
palace. 

But Eger’s great kettle was lost, and there 
was no meat for the guests. 

Thor shook his great hammer in anger and 
vowed to bring back the kettle. But no one 
could tell him where to find it. 

Tyr said, Just within the borders of Jotunheim 
lives Hymer. He has a kettle a mile deep. But 
he who goes for it must be wary, for Hymer is a 
dog-wise and dangerous giant.” 

Thor cried, I fear no giant! Show me the 
way and I will bring the kettle ! ” 

So the two gods passed out of ^Eger’s sea- 
green hall and away through groves of coral. 

23 


Dolphins and sword-fish played beside their 
pathway without fear. 

Soon the gods reached the upper world. 
There they made themselves look like two young 
men. Then they traveled away to the land of 
snow. 

On the icy shore of the ocean they found 
Ifymer’s house. At the door they were met 
by Hymer’s beautiful wife, who was Tyr’s 
mother. 

The house was dark and gloomy. Very glad 
was Tyr’s mother to see the guests. She bade 
them welcome, but told them to hide under the 
kettles. 

Hymer came home late, with his beard shining 
with frost. The beams of the low, dark house 
shook under his feet. 

My son is here,’’ said his wife? when he had 
shaken the frost from his hair. 

Where is he ? ” said Hymer. 

‘^Behind that post,” replied his wife. Hy¬ 
mer’s eyes blazed. He stared hard at the post. 
Instantly it flew into splinters. Eight of the 
kettles fell clanging to the ground. 

Out sprang the gods and faced the giant. 

When Hymer saw his old enemy, Thor, he 
was frightened. So he bade them welcome, and 
ordered three oxen to be roasted whole for supper. 


24 


Thor ate two himself, and Hymer thought he 
would kill no more of his fine black oxen. He 
thought he would have fish for the next meal. 

At dawn the next day Thor saw Hymer getting 
his boat out. Thor dressed quickly and asked 
to go along to do the rowing. 

Hymer said, You might take cold if you stay 
out as long as I stay, and the rowing might tire 
you.” 

Thor was angry enough to box the giant’s 
ears. But he only answered that he could row 
as far as Hymer wanted to go, and that Hymer 
would be the first to want to come back. 

Thor then asked Hymer for some bait. But 
Hymer said if he wanted to fish he must find his 
own bait. At this Thor marched up to the finest 
ox in Hymer’s herd and wrung its head off. 

Thor rowed with such strength that Hymer 
was surprised. When he wanted to stop, Thor 
said they were not out far eno'ugh yet. 

Then Hymer cried in fear, If we go any 
farther we will be in danger from the Midgard 
Serpent.” At last Thor stopped, and Hymer 
soon caught two whales. 

Thor took out a line he had brought from 
Asgard, and baited the hook with the ox’s head. 

The moment the bait dropped to the bottom 
of the ocean, the Midgard Serpent swallowed it. 

25 


Then Thor tightened his belt of strengtn and 
pulled till his feet went through the boat and he 
stood on the bottom of the ocean. 

The Serpent’s head rose to the top of the 
water. When Hymer saw it, he turned pale and 
trembled with fright. Just as Thor drew back 
his hammer to strike, Hymer cut the line, and 
the serpent sank to the bottom. 

Thor gave the giant a blow with his fist that 
nearly ended his life. 

Taking the two whales into the boat Thor 
rowed to shore. There he took up the whales 
and the boat and carried them all into the house 
at once. 

At supper the giant challenged Thor to break 
his goblet by throwing it. 

Thor threw it against the walls and upon the 
floor, but it would not break. 

Then the giant’s wife whispered, Throw it 
against Hymer’s forehead.” Thor did so, and 
the goblet was shattered. 

Then the giant said Thor might have the 
kettle if he could carry it away. 

Thor tried to lift it, but could not at first. 
As he tried he grew stronger, and, at last, he put 
the kettle over his head. But it reached down to 
his heels, and the handle tripped him. 

Thor and Tyr traveled as fast as they could 
26 


with the kettle. After they had gone a long 
way, Tyr saw Hymer and a host of his friends 
rushing after them. 

Thor put down the kettle and killed all the giants. 

Every harvest time ^ger made a feast for 
the gods in memory of Thor’s bravery. 


THOR’S FIGHT WITH HRUNGNER. 

One day when Odin was riding abroad on 
Sleipner, he passed by Jotunheim. 

There he met Hrungner, one of the giants. 
Hrungner said, Who are you and where did 
you get that fine horse ? ” ^ 

Odin replied, I will wager my head that 
there is not so good a horse in Jotunheim.” 

Hrungner answered angrily that his horse, 
Goldmane, could take longer strides. 

Then Odin challenged Hrungner to a race. 
In a short time Goldmane Avas brought, and the 
race began. Sleipner was ahvays ahead. 

Hrungner thought of nothing but of overtaking 
him. Before he knew it he had followed Odin 
into Asgard. 

The gods were feasting, and they invited the 
giant to eat with them. Thor’s drinking-horn 
was brought. Hrungner emptied it at a draught. 

27 


By and by he began to boast of his strength, 
I will tear down Asgard, kill the gods, and 
carry off Freyja/’ he cried, crashing Thor’s 
drinking-horn down upon the table. 

But the sound made by the drinking-horn 
called Thor, who was far away. 

Soon a muttering as of distant thunder was 
heard. Flashes of fire streamed through the air, 
and there was Thor with his hammer in his hand. 

« Why is this giant allowed to feast with the 
gods ? ” Thor demanded. He should never 
have been allowed to enter Asgard.” 

With that he made ready to strike. But 
Hrungner cried, ^^You are a coward if you kill 
me unarmed. Come to the borders of my own 
country. There I will meet you with my shield 
and flint stone.” 

So a day was appointed, and Hrungner went 
back to Jotunheim. There he made a huge clay 
giant, nine miles high and three miles across the 
shoulders. He put a horse’s heart into the giant, 
because that was the largest heart he could find. 

On the appointed day Thor appeared in his 
chariot, fire flashing from his eyes, mountains 
tumbling down as he passed, and hurling his 
hammer before him. 

His servant, Thjalfe, the swift runner, went 
before and told Hrungner that Thor could attack 

28 


him from under the ground as well as from the 
air. So Hrungner put his shield under his feet. 

As Thor approached, so frightened was the 
clay giant that his horse’s heart fluttered within 
him, and perspiration flowed off him in streams. 

Hrungner hurled his flint stone and Thor his 
hammer at the same moment. They met in the 
air and the flint stone was broken into two 
pieces. 

One piece fell to the earth and became a 
mountain. The other piece struck Thor’s head 
and he fell upon the ground. 

The hammer struck Hrungner and he fell dead 
with his foot on Thor’s neck. Thor could not 
remove the giant’s foot. All the gods tried, but 
none of them could lift it. 

Then Thor’s son, a baby three days old, came 
and lilted the foot with one hand and said. 

Sorry am I that I did not meet the giant, for I 
think I could have killed him with my fist.” 


THOR AND THRYM. 

When Thor was away on one of his journeys 
he laid his hammer down for a moment, and went 
away without it. 

The giant Thrym found the hammer. He 
29 


carried it to Jotunheim and buried it eight miles 
deep. 

When Thor missed his hammer he went back 
and found that it was gone. He knew that no 
one but a giant could have lifted it. 

Back he drove to Asgard in such a rage that 
the gods themselves trembled. But they trem¬ 
bled still more when they heard Thor’s story. 
They feared that the giants could no longer be 
kept out of Asgard. 

Loke borrowed Freyja’s falcon plumage and 
flew to Jotunheim. The first giant he met was 
Thrym. ^^Why have you come to Jotunheim?” 
said the giant. I have come for Thor’s ham¬ 
mer/’ replied Lobe. Ho ! hb ! ho ! ” laughed 
the giant, the hammer is buried eight miles 
deep. I will give it to no one until he brings 
me Freyja for a wife.” 

Loke flew swiftly back to Asgard, and told 
Thor what the giant had said. 

Thor thought of nothing but his precious ham¬ 
mer. He rushed to Freyja and told her to make 
ready to go to Jotunheim. 

At this Freyja was so angry that Thor, big as 
he was, trembled and went out without saying 
anything more. 

Loke said, We will dress you up like a wo¬ 
man, and what a beautiful bride you will be.” 

30 


So Thor had Freyja’s dress put on him, a neck¬ 
lace around his ^reat throat, and a veil over his 
face. But even then his eyes blazed like fire. 

Loke dressed himself like a maid, and they 
went to Jotunheim in Thor’s chariot. 

When Thrym saw them coming, he had a 
great feast prepared. 

Thor ate a whole ox and ten salmon. Thrym’s 
eyes stood out with surprise. But Loke whis¬ 
pered, Freyja longed so much to come to Jotun¬ 
heim that she has eaten nothing for seven 
days.” 

At this Thrym was so pleased that he leaned 
over to look into her face. But he started back 
when he saw the blazing eyes. 

Loke said softly, Freyja longed so much to 
come to Jotunheim that she has not slept for 
seven nights.” 

When the feast was over, Thrym brought the 
hammer and laid it in Freyja’s lap. 

The moment Thor’s fingers touched the handle 
he sprang up, tore the veil from his eyes, and 
drew back the hammer to strike. 

So angry was he that he laid the giant dead 
with one blow. 

Thor and Loke went away, leaving nothing but 
a heap of blazing sticks where the house had 
been. 


31 


--- LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

ENTER 


Drills and Plays for P. 

The Patriot’s Parade. A one-act pL ..15 

The Stars and Stripes. A flag drill ..15 

All the Holidays. Celebrations for all grades - - - - .40 

Baxter’s Choice Dialogues. Ten good dialogues for old 

and young.*25 

The New Christmas Book. Recitations, drills, dialogues, 

songs and quotations. Very good..40 

Christmas Gems. Readings and recitations - - - - .40 

Friday Afternoon Entertainments. New ..40 

Thirty New Christmas Dialogues and Plays. Original, 

humorous, and musical. For all grades - - - - .40 

Modem Drill and Exercise Book..40 

Thompson Drills and Marches..40 

Dickerman’s Drills. Many new and original drills - - .40 

Evangeline Entertainment. Dramatization of Long¬ 
fellow’s Evangeline . ...25 

Dolly Travers’ Inheritance. A four-act drama - - - .15 

Washington Day Entertainments. For all grades - - .40 

Heavenly Twins. Farce for 13 or more characters - - .25 

Mirth Provoking School Room. Farce for 14 or more 

characters - -- -- -..25 

New Motion Songs. For all grades ..25 

Normal Dialogue Songs. Dialogues, characters, etc. - .40 
Old Time Humorous Dialogues. For young and old - - .40 
Practical Dialogues, Drills and Marches. For all grades 

and all occasions...40 

The Dear Boy Graduates. A four-act farce ..25 

Special Days in Primary Grades. Washington, Lin¬ 
coln, closing days, etc...30 

Thanksgiving Entertainments. For all grades. Recita¬ 
tions, dialogues, songs, and drills. Excellent - - ^40 

Lincoln Day Entertainments. For all grades. New - - .40 



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